Kimberly and Michael’s Longboat Key wedding perfectly combined tropical elegance with breathtaking waterfront views for a whimsical boho chic ambiance. Incorporating their love for the outdoors and casual personalities, the North Carolina couple entertained their guest list of 90 with delicious food and plenty of music.

“We love the outdoors and spend as much time as possible out on our boat. When putting together our wedding design, we really wanted the theme to revolve around colorful, tropical floral arrangements and pampas grass,” the bride shared. “Since we chose a destination wedding in Florida, almost all of our guests had to travel, so we wanted the wedding to actually feel like a vacation the entire time.”

From the moment Kimberly started piecing together her big day, she started researching online and was thrilled with how much Marry Me Tampa Bay helped her find reputable vendors.

“Marry Me Tampa Bay’s Instagram helped me out so much along the way! From finding gorgeous venues in the area to scoping out reputable vendor options, it really helped guide me through the journey. Since we weren’t local, it was helpful to utilize social media outlets, such as the Marry Me Tampa Bay page for inspiration on design and decor,” the bride gushed. “I also got quite a bit of my decor and layout inspiration from browsing the site, which made it a lot easier to envision things in my head.”

Envisioning a gorgeous outdoor venue with views of the water, the bride and groom chose Longboat Key Club to help bring their vision to life.

Having several family members who belong to the Longboat Key Club, the North Carolina natives were thrilled to learn that there were several outdoor locations that could potentially match what they were looking for. Deciding on a spot on the lawn overlooking the mangroves, the bride and groom was overjoyed at how perfectly everything came together for their special day.

“Our food options were a major hit. We received countless compliments from everyone regarding our choices,” the bride shared. “Our reception layout was also never done before but it turned out to be amazing and complimented the venue!”

From a recommendation of her maid of honor, the bride turned to Grant Hemond & Associates for a Sarasota wedding DJ who could keep the party going with plenty of lively music.

“My maid of honor had several friends use them for their weddings,” the bride shared. “Specifically, we were looking for someone who could put together a playlist of songs without incorporating anything super cheesy or typical for a wedding. Ben designed the perfect playlist that was exactly in line with what we had asked for or requested!”

For both Kimberly and Michael, their ceremony was such a magical experience that they’ll never be able to forget how perfect it was.

“The location of our ceremony on the lawn near the mangroves was very special for both of us. The weather that day was absolutely perfect from the ceremony through the end of the reception and being right on the water was unreal,” the bride gushed. “Our sunset pictures on the golf course with all of the amazing trees surrounding us is always something I’ll never forget.”

What did you look for in a wedding venue?
It needed to be outdoors, near the water, and have a lot of trees.

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Our food options were a major hit. We received countless compliments from everyone regarding our choices. Our reception layout was also never done before but it turned out to be amazing and complimented the venue!

The Proposal:
Michael and I live in North Carolina, but my parents live in Florida. I spent Christmas Eve in North Carolina with Michael’s family and flew to Florida that night to spend Christmas with my family. On Christmas night, my mom told me to come out front to look at something through their telescope and there was Michael standing on the lit up front lawn asking me to marry him!

How would you describe your theme/wedding design inspiration?
We love the outdoors and spend as much time as possible out on our boat. When putting together our wedding design, we really wanted the theme to revolve around colorful, tropical floral arrangements and pampas grass. Since we chose a destination wedding in Florida, almost all of our guests had to travel, so we wanted the wedding to actually feel like a vacation the entire time.

What were your colors?
The bridesmaid dresses wore different beaded dresses, with colors including beige, sage, and blush. The floral arrangements included lots of greenery, pampas grass, and colorful flowers, such as pink ginger, king proteas, and orchids.

What did you look for in a wedding DJ?
My maid of honor had several friends use Grant Hemond & Associates for their weddings.

I want to learn more about DJ/Lighting services from Grant Hemond & Associates.

Grant Hemond & Associates will contact you shortly! In the meantime, see their featured weddings and read real couples' experiences at: https://marrymetampabay.com/category/grant-hemond-and-associates/

Specifically, we were looking for someone who could put together a playlist of songs without incorporating anything super cheesy or typical for a wedding. Ben designed the perfect playlist that was exactly in line with what we had asked for or requested.

What advice would you give to other Tampa Bay couples?
There are so many beautiful venue options in the area, so take the time to decide on the perfect one. Since we weren’t local, it was helpful to utilize social media outlets, such as the Marry Me Tampa Bay page for inspiration on design and decor.

Marry Me Tampa Bay editor, Anna Coats, created Marry Me Tampa Bay in 2012 to showcase the area's best local weddings and vendors. She has been featured as a wedding expert on the national talkshow Daytime, Fox13, ABC Action News, Great Day Tampa Bay, and Bay News 9 (now Spectrum).